Speech synthesis client/server system employing client determined destination control

• US 5,940,796 A
• Filed: 04/30/1997
• Issued: 08/17/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Tatsuro
• Primary Examiner(s): Hudspeth, David R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Opsasnick, Michael N.
• Application Number:
  US08/841,662
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: 704/258, 704/260, 704/270, 704/275, 379/67, 379/68, 379/80, 379/81, 379/93, 379/157, 379/242
• US Class Current: 704/260
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/02 Methods for producing synthetic speech; Speech synthesisers
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/047 Architecture of speech synthesisers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/487 Arrangements for providing information services, e.g. recorded voice services or time announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

The data control unit in the voice synthesizing server of the present invention receives from a client data to be processed to synthesize voice, and determines the type of the received data. If the received data are text data, they are outputted to the pronunciation symbol generating unit to generate pronunciation symbols. If the received data are pronunciation symbols, they are outputted to the acoustic parameter generating unit to generate acoustic parameters. If the received data are acoustic parameters, they are outputted to the waveform generating unit to generate voice waveforms, and the generated voice waveforms are sent from the data sending unit to the client. The client receives the voice waveforms from the voice generating server, and outputs the received voice waveforms as voice from the voice output unit.

Claims

1. A speech synthesis system comprising:

a client including a D/A converting function for issuing a request for synthesized voice;

a client having no D/A converting function for issuing a request for synthesized voice, comprising;

data input means for inputting data to be processed to synthesize voice,

destination specifying means for specifying another client having a D/A converting function as the destination of voice waveforms, and

data sending means for sending the address of the client specified by said destination specifying means and the data to be processed to synthesize voice; and

at least one voice synthesizing server, coupled to the client including a D/A converting function and to the client having no D/A converting function, generating voice waveforms according to data received from said client having no D/A converting function and sending the generated voice waveforms to the destination specified by said client.

2. A speech synthesis system comprising:

a telephone unit;

a client having no D/A converting function issuing a request for synthesized voice, comprising;

data input means for inputting data to be processed to synthesize voice,

destination specifying means for specifying the telephone unit as the destination of waveforms, and

data sending means for sending telephone number data of said telephone unit specified by said destination specifying means and the data to be processed to synthesize voice; and

at least one voice synthesizing server, coupled to the client and to the telephone unit, synthesizing voice waveforms according to data received from said client having no D/A converting function and sending the generated voice waveforms to said telephone unit specified by said client.